Sylvia's "plan" is little more than putting everyone in a hopeless position and counting on the Titans to save her - and who knows, maybe her side as well. They're nice about that sort of thing, to paraphrase Stanley. Like Stanley, she doesn't really give a damn about that bit. She doesn't care about GK, or even Wanda, she just aims for maximum destruction.

I'm wondering if it isn't the carnymancy which directly or indirectly messed her up so much. It's not an uncommon fantasy theme, e.g In Ursula Le Guin's third Earthsea book, the promise of dodging death really messed up the motivations of the ones believing it.

Apropos that, I'm also pretty sure the deal Jeftichef stuck to save her was with Charlie. This would explain why he immediately broke his promise to Bea and joined/conspired with a non-Royal ruler, he's got debts to repay. And as a Carnymancer, it's no surprise he managed to talk Vanna into it as well.

Regarding Cubbins: They won't be able to kill him directly (they just ditched the plan to dig through the rubble), and as we've seen from the cases of Tramennis and Sylvia, incapacitation is a bit more generous than in real life. I suspect it takes a turn or a day for an incapacitated unit to die. He's also well protected from the flames.

A bit of a nasty thing is that if Slately's charge fails and he is croaked, Charlie's best bet to close the portal is to kill Tramennis. But that would leave Parson free to leave the burning garrison, so not sure he would do that.

The plan works, though. They don't have time to dig through the rubble to find Cubbins as the charge is upon them, and they can't hold the charge. This is their best means of still securing victory or, failing that, inflicting hefty losses upon the Jetstone forces.

Of course, this assumes that Sylvia is correct in her analysis that they cannot hold, but I don't fancy their chances against a Chief Warlord bonus and multiple casters with a negligible bonus of their own and no casting support.

Last edited by TheTuna on Thu Oct 11, 2012 3:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

Out of the 3 known warloards remaining on the site, I'd say it'd be best to promote Archer to CWL as Sylvia is a nutcase, and Antium has no initiative, he stands around instead of taking action and helping to clear the garrison. I hope Archer survives this plan...

Gk can just switch the capital to Jetstone after its taken and then load up on decrypted. Even if every other unit in Jetstone escapes 4500+ units have been lost. Oh and since the remaining Jetstone units have already moved this turn they don't have enough move to escape their decrypted brethren, so they can grab most of the remaining 1500 units too.

They could, and it sounds like a plan, but would Stanley ever do it? Actually, riding to the relief of his new capital with a horde of dragons might appeal to him. A KISS Erfworld Tour!

Parson stepped through the Portal into the Magic Kingdom on Page 58.That was 18 months ago.C'mon - pretty please can we see some acceleration of the story. The week-to-week developments are interesting but we've been in a stalemate situation for a long time now.

Given that Charlie has made a deal with Jetstone, I'm half expecting the Carnymancers to switch sides and blast Isaac and his loons just to get Parson into the kill-zone. The Thinkamancers won't give way, so that either leaves the Predictamancers or the Carnymancers or Parson himself to break the deadlock. At this point, I'd even be happy if Parson produced Jeffichew's scroll and threatened to use it unless Isaac let him past.....

Please can we see Parson get through the Portal in the next few pages.

(PS: I received my Stupid Meal stickers the other week and it put a big smile on my face. Thanks Rob!)

Uh, no. She's pretty much a nutcase who is going to kill everyone. She should not be in charge. Hamster has to get through before she gets too carried away.

Isn't that just what Hamster did at the end of book 1?

Sylvia is a nutcase because 1) she thinks she's special, 2) she has evidence to reinforce that belief, and 3) will gleefully destroy her own troops, but 4) only because she knows (believes?) she'll survive.

There's nothing worse or more dangerous than a leader who thinks they're special.

Is that close to Parson? To me, the difference is the enthusiasm and the motivation.

Oh I recognized who she looks like, I meant thoughts from a plot perspective. There was one of the Text Updates when we got to hear what Slately was thinking, and it suggested he had been in love with Holly Shortcake, Jetstone's previous Dollamancer. So this Doll he's keeping "for sentimental reasons" could actually be very important, and we might get some explanation in the next few updates about what happened to her that Slately blames himself for.

_________________"I'm afraid I don't understand. And also afraid that I do."

This came off harsher than intended... just kinda got on a roll. Still very grateful for the comic and think it is awesome, but it seemed to be in need of a bit of lampoon.

Ok, you've convinced us thinkamancers, but we don't speak for the carnymancers.You make a hell of a saleman, son, but you better convince the crowd of curious croakamancers before you go.You're right... so many bodies... *licks lips*... just so you know, a lounge of lookamancers just tuned in late... better convince them too.Parson, Isaac again... the lookamancers gave your written argument a looksie and just thinkagrammed their consent... but now I've forgotten why we're letting you through... it seems like a bad idea!....OK, you've convinced us all through your mastery of repetitive conversations held in thinkspace between people that don't even have the good manners to bend their images into something interesting! Go get em' young non-reality being! Begin your epic quest to slay Charlie!

*young mancer walks out of the Spacerock portal* Charlie of Charlescomm? The guy that beat Erfworld and then died of natural causes a cool half million turns ago? Also, what are you doing near my side's portal?

"Antium is a stick in the mud and Sylvia is a nut!" "Hatamancer is well hidden!" "Subordinates follow orders!" "Jetstone is preparing a counter attack!" More breaking news after the weeklong commercial break!

Only when everyone was going to die anyway. This is nowhere near as hopeless as that was.

No, I think it is.

Remember, Sylvia and the rest have no idea what's going on with Parson. He was supposed to be through by now, so the fact that he isn't indicates that something has gone severely wrong with his plan, and he may not be coming at all.

That leaves Sylvia against the charge from Trammenis and the rest of the Jetstone army with no caster support and no leadership in a multiplicative combat system. As she notes, they are not going to be able to hold the charge, a point on which no one has disagreed.

Either they fight normally and all die, or they light up the garrison, hope they get lucky, and potentially save a lot more GK troops.

I'm not saying she isn't more than a little crazy, but the plan works, guys.

Strategy #1: The Gnomes of Zurich- GK is megarich. Hire any in the magic kingdom who stand against Parson. Order them throught he portal to SpaceRock. What is the mechanism for hiring from the MagicKingdom? I presume there is some sort of caster loyalty/alignment issue with hiring cost/success. Nothing smuckers could not solve.

Strategy #2: Orbital Mind Controla) Parson accepts "defeat" and retreats back to GKb) GK hires a few thinkamancers who return with Parson. Sold as GK paying for transgression. Replace out of juice Maggie.c) From the new thinkamancers Parson gets a Charlie-Turnamancer style link into the battle via the newly hired thinkamancer. Be there without being there.d) Wanda and Jack return through the portal to SpaceRock

Strategy #1: The Gnomes of Zurich- GK is megarich. Hire any in the magic kingdom who stand against Parson. Order them throught he portal to SpaceRock. What is the mechanism for hiring from the MagicKingdom? I presume there is some sort of caster loyalty/alignment issue with hiring cost/success. Nothing smuckers could not solve.

Casters are WAY too expensive for even GK to afford them all. Even if they charged only for Upkeep (which they wouldn't do, it'd be higher) the cost would be astronomical.

RichMan wrote:

Strategy #2: Orbital Mind Controlc) From the new thinkamancers Parson gets a Charlie-Turnamancer style link into the battle via the newly hired thinkamancer. Be there without being there.

Assuming any Thinkamancers even agree to accompany him, such a link would require a Lookamancer which GK no longer has.

_________________"I'm afraid I don't understand. And also afraid that I do."

As much as I love this comic and the discussions that go with it, I think I am going to throw my laptop out the window if we get another 6 months of casters bickering at the portal and Hamster doing nothing. Alright already.

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